Clamping device



May 28, 1929; J. LOUCKS CLAMPING DEVICE Filed Oct. 18, 1926 W I y gwowtoz Patented May 28, 1929.

UNITE ra s JAMES F. LoUoKs, or CLEVELAND, OHIO, AssIeNoR; T HOL'LORIB, 11m, or CLEVE- LAND, onro, A CORPQR-ATIONOF 01110. f

CLAMPING DEVICE.

Application filed October 18, 1926-. Serial No. 142,319.

This invention relates to clamping devices 4 and, while capable of use inother relations, is peculiarly adapted for the purpose of securing to metal beams sheet-metal structural units of the general type shown in the patent to Harry Gillett and myself issued February 23, 1926, No. 1,574,586. The general object of the invention is to provide a simple, economical and efficient clamp which will enable metal sheets to be secured to structural beams and in' spaced relation thereto.

Further and more limited objects of the invention will appear hereinafter and will be accomplished and realized in and through the construction and; arrangement of parts shown in the drawings, wherein Fig. 1 rep resents a sectional view through a sheet metal structure showing the same secured to a beam by means of clamps embodying my invention; Fig. 2a plan view of the beam and one of the clamps shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a detail in section through the structural beam and metal sheet, showing one of the clamps in section; and Fig. 4 a detail in perspective of one of the clamps.

Describing the various parts by reference characters, 1 denotes the web and 2 a flange of a built-up angular beam, the flange of said beam being a channel member having a flange 2 at one edge adapted to engage one side of the web 1 and to be secured thereto in any convenient manner, as by welding, the outer flange of the channel member being indicated at 2 Supported on top of the said beam is a building-construction unit, the same comprising a metal sheet 3 having hollow ribs 1 projecting downwardly therefrom, each of the said ribs being triangular in seeton and the tops of the ribs being substantially closed, whereby the upper surface of the sheet 3 will be substantially continuous or uninterruped, whilethe bottom of the sheet will be provided with traingular ribs which are adapted to be supported on the tops of structural beams.

construction of the said unit and the purposes and advantages of the same are fully set forth in the aforesaid patent, the clamping means shown herein being especially useful for securing units or sheets of this gen eral character to structural beams upon which they are supported by the hollow ribs.

Each clamp is made of sheet metal and comprises generally a base portion which is adapted to rest upon the top of the beam,

The details of with a postv struck from the base portion, mtermediate'the ends of. the latter, the said post being provided with a tongue for securing the post to and beneath the metal sheet, one end of the base member being formed into a hook which is adapted to be applied to-the edge flange 2 of the structural member while the opposite end is adapted to be bent downover the upper end of the web 1.

5 denotes thebase of one of my clamping members, the said basebeing adapted to rest on top of the beam. Projecting upwardly fromthe said base, intermediate the ends thereof, is a post 6 having a central tongue 7 provided with a point'7, there being a shoulder 8 at the bottom of the tongue 7, on each side thereof.

One end of the base 5 comprises avertical portion 9 and a pair of upwardly and in wardly inclined legs 10, the legs being con-- veniently formed by removing the metal from the lower. part of the depending portion 9 prior to bending upwardly the legs thus formed. The part 9 is considerably deeper than the edge flange 2 with which it cooperates. This extra depth of the'part 9 and the upward and inward inclination of the legs 10 enable the open hook provided be tween such legs and the part 9 to be slipped around and under the flange 2 of the clamp to be swung around until the base 5 rests upon the beam flange 2, after which the legs 10 may be driven or hammered upwardly and outwardly so as to engage the under surface of the beam flange 2 and the inner surface of the flange 2 the end of the base which is opposite the parts 9 and 10 being bentv downwardly into engagement with the top of the web 1, to form a clamping flange shown at 5 It will be noted that, when the clamp is in place upon the beam, the bottom of the hooked part 9, 10, does not engage the bottom of the edge flange 2", due to the depth of the part 9.

After the clamps have been applied to the beam, the sheets 3 are then applied to the tops of the clamps. With a suitable punch, the sheets will be driven down upon the tongues 7 and into engagement with the shoulders 8, after which the tongues will be bent over and flattened down, as shown in Figs. 1 and-3 It is preferred that the posts 6 to the shoulders 8 shall beof slightly less height than the depth of the ribs 4 whereby the sheets 3 will and the body be drawn down slightly into engagement with the shoulders, thus giving a firmer hold of the sheet upon the beams.

The-base 5 will be of sufiicientlength to accommodate considerable variations in the widths of the tops of the beams to which the clamps are applied, this length enabling clamping flanges 5 of varying depth to be struck from such base, the depth of such flanges depending upon the width of the beams to which the clamps are applied.

For convenience of description, the sheets 3 are assumed to be applied to the tops of the structural beams, with the clamping members resting on top of the beams and intercuring a metal sheet to and in spaced relation from a beam, the said member comprising a base adapted to rest on the upper surface of such beam, said base having struck therefrom and intermediate the ends thereof an upwardly extending post provided with a tongue projecting from the top thereof with shoulders from a beam, the said member comprising a base adapted to rest on the upper surface of such beam, said base having struck therefrom and intermediate the ends thereof an upwardly extending post provided with a tongue projecting'from the top thereof with shoulders on each side of the base of said tongue and spaced from the said base, there being a hook depending from one end of the base, the said hook comprising a verticalmember adapted to engage the outer face of a dependingflange of said beam, a pair of legs extending from said member and adapted to be bent into engagement with the inner face of said flange, the base being of such length as to enable a flange to be bent from the end there of which is opposite such hook into engagement with the opposite side or edge of the said beam.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature. I

JAMES F. LOUCKS. 

